(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control lever mounting structure for a grass cutting vehicle such as an automotive lawn mower of the type operated by a walking person. More particularly, the invention relates to a control lever mounting structure including a steering handle carrying a first control lever operatively connected to a cutting blade drive clutch and a second control lever operatively connected to a wheel drive clutch, each of the control levers being pivotable in fore-and-aft directions of the vehicle between a clutching position adjacent a grip portion of the steering handle and a declutching position away from the grip portion, and each control lever being biased to the declutching position.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A known lawn mower of the type described above is capable of a grass cutting operation while propelling itself, a grass cutting operation while being pushed by a walking operator, and self-propelled traveling with the cutting blade assembly at rest. A certain known mower is capable of the grass cutting operation while propelling itself with the steering handle and clutch control levers easily operable by one hand of the operator. Such a mower is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,401. This known tractor includes a lever engaging mechanism for effecting a releasable engagement between a first control lever operatively connected to a blade drive clutch and a second control lever operatively connected to a wheel drive clutch. By putting the lever engaging mechanism out of action, the first and second control levers are shiftable to their respective clutching positions independently of each other. When the lever engaging mechanism is actuated, the first control lever is retained in the clutching position by a supporting action of the second control lever in the clutching position which is gripped together with the sterring handle by the operator.
However, this prior example requires the lever engaging mechanism to be specially provided as an element not integral with the levers, which results in a complicated construction. Furthermore, a troublesome operation for bringing the lever engaging mechanism into and out of action is necessary in order to permit the first and second control levers to shift independently of each other and to permit the first control lever to be supported by the second control lever. Summary of the Invention
Having regard to the above-noted state of the art, the object of the present invention is to provide a control lever mounting structure simple in construction as well as in operation and capable of permitting the first and second control levers to be shifted to the clutching positions independently of each other and permitting the first control lever to be supported by the second control lever without necessitating the lever engaging mechanism.
In order to achieve this object, a lever mounting structure according to this invention comprises a steering handle including a grip portion, a first control lever operatively connected to a cutting blade drive clutch and attached to the steering handle to be pivotable on a first axis to shift in force-and-aft directions of the vehicle between a clutching position adjacent the grip portion and a declutching position away from the grip portion, and a second control lever operatively connected to a wheel drive clutch and attached to the steering handle to be pivotable on a second axis to shift in the fore-and-aft directions of the vehicle between a clutching position adjacent the grip portion and a declutching position away from the grip portion, wherein the first axis and the second axis are inclined relative to each other so that at least one of the first and second control levers is movable sideways as said one of the levers makes a pivotal movement, and as a result the first and second control levers are in contact with each other when in the clutching positions adjacent the grip portion and separated from each other when in the declutching positions away from the grip portion.
In the above construction, the first axis on which the first control lever is pivotable is inclined relative to the second axis on which the second control lever is pivotable. This novel construction constitutes an improvement upon the known construction in that the lever engaging mechanism for establishing the releasable engagement between the first and second levers is no longer required. According to the present invention the first axis is inclined relative to the second axis such that the first and second control levers in their respective declutching positions are separated from each other. Thus, one of the control levers may be shifted to the clutching position leaving the other control lever in the declutching position. In the respective clutching positions adjacent the grip portion of the steering handle, one of the levers which is shifted to the clutching position after the other lever may support the other lever when the operator grips only the steering handle and one of the levers, whereby the other lever also is retained in the clutching position.
This construction permits the vehicle to engage in the grass cutting operation while propelling itself, to engage in the grass cutting operation while being pushed by a walking operator and to travel with the cutting blade assembly at rest. One of these three modes may readily be selected by shifting one or both of the control levers. Now that the lever engaging mechanism is dispensed with, the lever mounting structure is simplified and manufactured at low cost. In this connection, the present invention also dispenses with the special adjustments that were necessary with the prior art for permitting the two control levers to be shiftable independently of each other and for permitting one of the control levers to support the other.
It is conceivable to cause the two control levers to approach each other in the clutching positions and separate from each other in the declutching positions by means of parallel pivotal axes. However, it would then be necessary for the two parallel axes to be far apart from each other, which would result in a lever mounting structure having large dimensions in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. The relatively inclined pivotal axis arrangement according to the present invention has the advantage of small fore-and-aft dimensions of the lever mounting structure projecting rearwardly of the steering handle.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.